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Danish Rural Eye Study: Epidemiology of Adult Visual Impairment |
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| Authors: | Tracy Beth Høeg Christina Ellervik Helena Buch Morten La Cour Kristian Klemp Jan Kvetny |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Copenhagen, N?stved Hospital, N?stved, Denmark;2. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmarkexophoria@gmail.com;4. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark;5. Department of General Population Study, Nyk?bing Falster Hospital, Denmark;6. Department of Ophthalmology, Capital Region Eye Clinic, Glostrup, Denmark;7. Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet, National University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark;8. Copenhagen Eye and Strabismus Clinic, Copenhagen Private Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark;9. Department of Ophthalmology, Capital Region Eye Clinic, Glostrup, Denmark;10. Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet, National University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark;11. Department of Internal Medicine, N?stved Hospital, N?stved, Denmark;12. Institute of Regional Health Services, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark |
| Abstract: | Purpose: To examine the frequency and causes of visual impairment (VI) in a select population of Danish adults. Methods: A total of 3843 adults aged 20–94 years from the Danish General Suburban Population Study (GESUS) were included in the population-based, cross-sectional ophthalmological study, Danish Rural Eye Study (DRES). All DRES participants received a comprehensive general health examination preceding their eye examination, including measurement of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) for each eye, bilateral 45° retinal fundus photographs and further ophthalmological examination where indicated. Results: Overall, 3826 of 3843 participants (99.6%) had bilateral visual acuity measurements. The overall frequency of VI (BCVA <20/40 in the better-seeing eye) was 0.4% (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.2–0.7%; n = 15) among all DRES participants, 0.6% (95% CI 0.3–1.0%; n = 15) among participants >50 years and 3.7% (95% CI 2.1–6.5%; n = 11) in participants >80 years. The primary causes of VI in the better-seeing eye were age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 46.7% (7/15) and cataract in 26.7% (4/15). A total of 43.3% (n = 115) of participants >80 years were pseudophakic in one or both eyes. The frequency of diabetes (HbA1c ≥48 mmol/mol or self-reported diagnosis) was 5.9% (n = 227), including 1.3% (n = 51) newly diagnosed in the GESUS. Of participants determined to have VI due to exudative AMD, 50% had received anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment. Conclusion: We report a relatively low frequency of VI among Danish adults over 59 years of age compared with that observed 10–15 years ago, which is both consistent with other recent Scandinavian studies and reflective of our relatively healthy and mobile population sample. |
| Keywords: | Blindness Denmark population-based visual impairment |